10km Cork swim to benefit three much-loved charities

THE fourth annual Galley Head 10km swim in aid of Marymount, West Cork Underwater Search and Rescue, and Irish Community Air Ambulance will take place this weekend.

On Saturday, 25 solo swimmers and 102 relay team swimmers will start at the Red Strand before tackling the waters around Galley Head and finally taking on the 6km leg to The Warren in Rosscarbery.

Organiser Justin Crowley is hopeful that the weather is “calming down” and that it will be a gorgeous day on Saturday, with temperatures of 19C or 20C.

This week, Marymount Hospice, based in Curraheen, was “delighted” to welcome organisers Pat Mulcahy and Mr Crowley, who presented Liam Kerins, head of finance, and Mary Brady, from the wonderful fundraising team, with a cheque for €56,160 from last year’s event.

Speaking on C103 about the origin of the swim, Mr Crowley said that it came about following a conversation with his friend, Mr Mulcahy, who is involved with West Cork Underwater Search and Rescue, who told him that the organisation was run by volunteers who took time off work to carry out search-and-rescue operations. The two of them were high in the Alps in 2018, on top of a mountain, when they spoke about organising the swim and raising funds for both Marymount Hospice and West Cork Underwater Search and Rescue.

Six months later, the first swim raised €17,400 and then they decided to organise it again, with figures doubling in the following years.

Mr Crowley said that last year €112,000 was raised and split between both causes.

This year, a third charity, Irish Community Air Ambulance, was introduced.